NACCAP

NACCAP is a development orientated support and research programme, financed by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs. NACCAP is a Dutch National Programme contributing to the goal and objectives of the European Developing Countries Clinical Trial Partnership (EDCTP). NACCAP aims at strengthening 2-5 African research & development centres by encouraging research and development programmes in Africa carried out by existing African-European partnerships.

The specific objective of the second NACCAP call is to strengthen capacity of African owned (pharmaceutical or biotechnological) R&D institutes by technology transfer between African and European private and public institutes. The call will focus on translational research, in which science is translated into clinical application by partnerships between private partners and academic institutes in order to enhance the development of new products. In addition, small scale production of clinical products (against HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis) according to international accepted standards may be financed. In doing so, sustainable strengthening of African R&D capacity e.g. by technology transfer of partnerships between private and public partners is a prerequisite.

Aim:

• Proposals must aim at sustainable technology transfer to African owned institutes, contributing to the development or production of (a) specific public health product(s) (not strategies), including locally applicable clinical interventions and diagnostics (including reagents) against HIV/aids, malaria and/or tuberculosis at internationally acknowledged and accepted standards;
• Technology transfer should be linked with clinical trials. Fundamental research is excluded from funding. A minimum of two integrated PhD projects must be part of the technology transfer.

Who can apply

The call for full proposals is only open for applicants that already submitted a LOI in NACCAPs second call for LOI´s. Senior researchers employed by one of the participating public academic institutes can formally submit applications. Grant agreements will be made with institutions/ organisations, not with individuals.

What can be applied for

Programmes consisting of two or more integrated capacity strengthening projects and/or research and development projects are eligible. Individual projects are not eligible. All proposed activities must be terminated before 15 July 2010.

Extra Information

The programme should build upon established Euro-African partnerships and should fit into the EDCTP philosophy of establishing a sustained research partnership between EU and Developing Countries. Therefore, at least two different EU countries and one African country should be involved in the partnership. Furthermore, the partnership should consist of at least one African public or private research/pharmaceutical/biotechnology institute and two European academic or private institutes. In each partnership, at least one public and one private partner should be involved. At least one of the participating partner institutes/organisations must be based in the Netherlands. PPP´s, recognized and/or partly financed by the Netherlands´ government may act as the public and private partner organisation. Participants from all main partners should be involved in the formulation of the capacity strengthening and R&D questions, in developing the programme and in carrying out of the programme.
Nor NWO nor NACCAP will act as Sponsor.

Criteria

Evaluation and Selection criteria:

Proposals will be eligible when the requirements stated in the document “General outline of the second NACCAP call” are fulfilled. Please note that several (signed) annexes are requested.

Relevance for the NACCAP second call, Scientific quality , Quality of sustainable capacity development by technology transferring activities and Feasibility will be used as evaluation and selection criteria. The proposals should score high on all four criteria in order to be selected.

Please consult the document “General outline of the second NACCAP call” for more information on the criteria.

Procedure

In order to formulate the full proposal, the applicant must organise a workshop in Africa with all relevant stakeholders. The full proposals (deadline 28 September 2006) will be assessed by independent, international peer review. Applicants of full proposals will be invited to respond to the comments made by the peer reviewers. The NACCAP secretariat will compile an overview of the comments and rebuttals. Subsequently, the NACCAP Programme Committee will determine the ranking and formulate an advise on funding to the NACCAP Steering Committee, pending the advice of the legal advisor of NWO on the reasonableness of the contribution of the private partner. If thought necessary by the PC, a site visit by an independent organisation may also form part of the selection procedure before an advise will be formulated to the Steering Committee. The Steering Committee will decide upon funding.

Committees

NACCAP Programme Committee and NACCAP Steering Committee

Budget

NACCAP will reserve € 3M for this call; maximum NACCAP budget /proposal € 3M. The activities must be carried out in Africa where during the last year(s) of the programme 80% of the NACCAP funds must be spent. In the first two years of the programme, this percentage may be lower (minimum of 40% of the NACCAP grant to be spent in Africa in the first year, and a minimum of 60% to be spent in Africa during the second year). However, the applicant must show that this spending outside Africa is needed and does not impair the sustainability of the African part of the programme. The private partners (or PPP) should contribute 50% of the total amount requested, either in money or in kind. The value of the historical contribution of the private partner must be based on reasonable depreciation costs and will be finally determined in consultation with NWO. In addition, the value of the historical contribution should at least be equally matched by new money from the private partner.

Financiers

NWO/WOTRO/NACCAP and DGIS

Contacts

• Dr Judith de Kroon
  phone: +31 (0)70 344 05 53, e-mail: j.dekroon@nwo.nl